


Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Ace of Japan

by verydryzen



Series: Not Another Gay Figure Skater [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Close to Canon, Getting to Know Each Other, Homophobia, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 05:36:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11075118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verydryzen/pseuds/verydryzen
Summary: After the Onsen on Ice, Yuuri deals with conflicting feelings about his coach.





	1. Chapter 1

A few weeks after the _Onsen on Ice_ event, Victor goes to the beach alone, and sits on the sand, watching the waves crash closer and closer. Even the seagulls look different here. The initial excitement of being somewhere new is gone, and the frenzy surrounding the  competition between Yuuri and Yurio, has faded. Victor feels lonely, and misses St. Petersburg. He calls Christophe.

“Chris, I think I've made a mistake with Yuuri,” confesses Victor, a bit depressed.

“You mean you shouldn't have gone to Japan to coach him?” clarifies Christophe.

“No, I love coaching him, he's a brilliant skater. I just thought he was… interested in me…”

“You mean interested romantically? Anyone who saw you that night would think that,” corroborates Christophe.

“He acts like nothing happened, and when I flirt, he runs away.”

“Well, if he was into you drunk, maybe more champagne…” suggests Christophe.

“Definitely not! I want sober Yuuri interested in me,” retorts Victor.

“Victor, I know it's magical when lightning strikes and you feel like you've met that perfect person, but for once, why don't you slow down and… get to know this guy.”

“He's not rejecting me, it just feels like some kind of barrier between us. Christophe, I really like him…”

Christophe sighs. “I'll make some enquiries, the skating world is small, someone must know him...”

 

The next morning at the ice rink, Yuuri is struggling with his short program. The initial thrill of winning against Yurio has vanished, and weirdly he misses the little punk. Yuuri enjoys the physicality of training, a repeating the same routine over and over, pushing his body to its limits. However, it's difficult to channel the passion needed for the _Eros_ program day after day. He wants to turn off all that sexual energy, and bury it deep inside him, so he can focus better.

“You are just going through the motions, feel the passion,” insists Victor.

Yuuri nods to show he heard the instruction, and shakes out his body, preparing to repeat the routine.

 

The next day, Yuuri is taking a water break at the ice rink during training.

“Yuuri, your hands look cold let me warm them for you,” croons Victor. Yuuri realizes he forgot his gloves, and watches abashed, as Victor smoothly peels off his kid skin gloves, and rubs his hands. Elegant long pale fingers, perfectly manicured. Yuuri feels his cheeks getting warmer than his hands. He mumbles an apology, and goes to find his gloves. They work on fine tuning the _Eros_ program, and Victor skates up behing him, and intructs,

“Yuuri, let the movements flow down through your fingers,” caressing his arms downward during practice. Yuuri freezes. The smell of some expensive shampoo, or cologne, surrounds him. For a moment, he completely forgets the choreography. Then he imagines the correction comes from his ballet teacher, and stretches out his arms more elegantly.

 

That evening, they are sitting in the dining room, just before dinner, Victor reaches for his right hand.

“Let me see your palms, I can read the future in your hands,” he singsongs, running his index finger on the lines of his hands. Yuuri feels a warmth creeping down his arm. It seems so intimate, he's rarely held hands with anyone else.

“You have a strong lifeline, and your heart is strong, and pure as well. Good, good.” Victor folds his hand and looks at the lines created at the juncture of the little finger and the palm.

“Just remember we make our own fates.” Afterwards, Yuuri can barely hold his chopsticks during dinner. He feels jealous of his own hands, like they are having a relationship with Victor that the rest of his body can barely imagine. Yuuri sighs, takes another drink of water, and continues eating.

 

Sunday morning, Yuuri sits at his desk, and reflects on the events of the last few months. He takes out a piece of paper, and writes down in one column: _Failures_. He writes down failing at the Grand Prix final, failing the rest of the season, failing at dieting, failing to be home for his dog, and finally failing at confessing to Yuuko. Actually, that was probably a good failing. In his imagination, he hadn't expected Yuuko's husband and children to walk in on his love confession. He didn't really want her to return his feelings, just hoping to express how much she meant to him. However, ever since the viral video, he hadn't thought about Yuuko once. In the next column, he writes: _Successes_. And then he remembers Victor appearing naked in Yutopia. It was bewildering, and amazing. Victor and him going over his short program, in minute detail, every aspect, from the edge of the blade to the emotional expression. Hugging Victor at the _Onsen on Ice._ Most days, Victor isn't …real. He looks like one of his posters come to life, with even more grace and …sparkle. Most people simply exist, but Victor seems more alive, more beautiful than anyone he's ever met. Under, _Successes,_ Yuuri writes _Victor?…_

Yuuri notices his best friend has just posted some selfies, so he video calls him.

“Phichit, I'm confused… Victor might be… flirting with me?” questions Yuuri.

“How would you feel if he was?” explores Phichit.

“I've never thought about being with a guy, have you? Oops, sorry…”

“Yeah, oops. Of course I have Yuuri. I swear you think I have no sex life,” pouts Phichit.

“Sorry, sorry, I just never imagined Victor that way…”

“Really? Even with that many posters!” objects Phichit.

“No,” denies Yuuri, turning a bit red, “anyway my fantasies are more...” searches for the words.

“Oh! Are you still into weird creatures with tentacles? Japanese porn is so weird!” exclaims Phichit.

“When did I say that…uh, you should never listen to me drunk.”

“But seriously, would you consider a guy, especially a gorgeous god like Nikiforov?” asks Phichit.

“I need time… to consider that.” Yuuri ends the video call, and stares at his computer blankly.

 

The next day, at the ice rink, Yuuri can't land his salchow at all. Victor is standing there, tall and handsome in his black skating gear, observing.

“Yuuri, you tend to flub your jumps when something's on your mind…” calls out Victor.

Yuuri picks himself up off the ice, and stays silent. What's he supposed to say? I'm trying to figure out if I desire my coach? He glances quickly at Victor, then starts skating again, setting up for another jump. Anyway, Victor probably behaves like this with everyone. Victor watches him set up, jump up and spin, and crash once again.

 

Victor watches Yuuri jump, trying to pick out any technical errors, when he receives a text from Christophe.

_C.Giacometti: Try watching movies together. Dance movies._

“Yuuri, we should watch a movie to inspire you for this choreography,” suggests Victor.

 

Later that evening, Victor grabs some extra pillows, and sets the laptop on his bed. Yuuri feels shy about sharing Victor's space, then he remembers he often watched movies with Phichit. Victor inserts an old flamenco movie, Carmen. They both watch as the main character Carmen, a femme fatale, seduces two men in a flamenco dance company.

“There is so much passion in Spanish dance, and that fire pervades the short program,” comments Victor.

“Oh, seeing this would have been helpful before the _Onsen on Ice_ competition,” admits Yuuri.

“How so?”

“I was really struggling with how to portray _Eros_ , and in a fit of dieting craving, I ended up saying that desire was a port cutlet bowl. But when _you_ skate the program, I could see a playboy, seducing a beautiful woman, then casting her aside. I tried to imitate you, but I'm not a playboy,” explains Yuuri.

“So what were _you_ portraying for the competition?” questions Victor.

Yuuri fidgets, and pushes his glasses back on his nose. “I imagined myself as a woman, seducing the playboy. I worked half the night with Minako sensei, making the movements more… feminine.”

“Wow. That's amazing. And it made your sex appeal ten times stronger…” gushes Victor.

“You don't think that's weird?”

“It's rather fitting isn't it? I mean, the costume you picked from my Junior World Championship was designed to be both feminine and masculine, to embrace both. I had very long hair at the time and I enjoyed it, there is something so sensual about having really long hair.”

Yuuri relaxes, surprised and content to find somebody, besides Phichit, who accepts him.

“I adored your long hair, it was such a shock when you cut it…” murmurs Yuuri to himself.

Victor hears his comment, and smiles.

“You remember that? For some reason, Mari-san keeps saying that you're a big fan of mine, like there's something I'm missing…” remarks Victor, looking inquisitively.

Yuuri's face goes from a light pink to a deep red. “She's teasing me. I used to have some posters of you on the walls of my bedroom.”

“Why would she tease you about that?”

“Well… there may have been a lot posters,” admits Yuuri.

Victor sits up, and fixes Yuuri with his complete attention.

“How many!?”

Yuuri starts counting on his fingers. “About 13.”

 

The next evening, Yuuri is sitting in the hot spring, when he realizes that Victor is doing the splits naked right at eye level. The view is a bit blurry, but he quickly looks away. Somehow Victor is more alluring when he's dressed. Is that because Yuuri isn't attracted to men? Or is he just used to naked men growing up in a hot spring? Suddenly, Victor is explaining why he came to coach Yuuri, something about making music with his body. Victor is overstretching one of his legs, and Yuuri's mind simply goes blank from the oddness of the situation. He looks over only to see a bunch of men staring at them, one of them praying. Later that evening, remembering the conversation, Yuuri stops by Victor's room, and asks,

“Victor, did you come to coach me because of the viral video?”

Victor looks up from reading, and thinks a moment.

“I first noticed you as a skater in the competitions before the Grand Prix final. You had really improved, and I saw that you were a fan of my skating.”

“Whoa. I can't imagine that you noticed me… but how would you know I'm a fan?” puzzles Yuuri.

“It's in the way you skate certain elements. Skaters who look up to me tend to mimic my gestures, I'm not sure if it's conscious or unconscious,” acknowledges Victor.

“Oh.”

“After the Grand Prix competition, I recognized you and offered to take a photo with you, but you walked away.”

“Oh yes, sorry. I thought you took me for a fan instead of a fellow competitor,” informs Yuuri, embarrassed.

“I offer to take photos with competitors all the time, don't you?” Victor tilts his head, mildly astonished.

“Uh, no, I doubt people would want that.”

“Anyway then there was the banquet… then I expected to see you at Worlds. The next thing, I see a video of you skating my routine… and without music. The way your body moved showed so much potential, I hoped my coaching would help you unlock it,” finishes Victor, with a flourish of his hand.

 

By the following week, Yuuri's hands are forgotten. Instead, it starts with Victor innocuously commenting,

“Yuuri, your lips look a little chapped,” and Victor makes him try some lip balm. The next day, Victor is running his thumb over Yuuri's lips, dissatisfied with the results. “Mmm, maybe one with olive oil would be better…” Yuuri feels weak at the knees, and wonders what the connection is between one's mouth and one's legs...

 

The next practice session starts with a different lip balm, and when his coach is not sure of the results, Victor smears the new lip balm all over his own lips, then over Yuuri's. Yuuri feels like every nerve of his body is living through his lips. Victor finally settles on a balm with a slight peppermint taste, and offers it to Yuuri. One glance at the price tag, and Yuuri hands it back.

“It's too expensive, I won't use it,” declares Yuuri.

“Oh. I'll keep it with me, part of my coaching duties,” decides Victor.

At night in bed, tossing and turning with his body on fire, Yuuri groans, fantasizing about lips. Then he whispers to Makkachin, “I will spend the rest of my life getting turned on by lip balms.”

 

A few nights later, at his bedroom desk, Yuuri tries to focus on his free skate instead of his coach. He taps his pen with dissatisfaction at his list of ideas. Victor's been pushing him to produce his own free program, but when Yuuri shared an original piece of music that a conservatory student in Detroit had composed, Victor finds it uninspiring. Not knowing what to do, Yuuri calls Phichit and asks him about the music. Luckily, his friend quickly understands the situation, and agrees to act as an intermediary. Maybe Yuuri should propose the next movie to watch, give Victor some insight into his own culture.

 

The following evening, they set up the pillows again on Victor's bed, and Yuuri puts on the Japanese movie, _Shall We Dance_. The film is about an ordinary salary man getting swept up in the the forbidden world of ballroom dancing in Japan, breaking the boundaries of his reserved culture.

“In Japan, even holding hands, or sharing a kiss in public is viewed as very forward. Actually, feeding somebody with your own chopsticks, or sharing the same drink, is considered an indirect kiss and and a bit risqué,” instructs Yuuri.

Victor contemplates what Yuuri has explained.

“Do you find my displays of affection overly familiar?”

Yuuri blushes a bit.

“Your behavior seems so quintessentially Victor, it expresses who you are.”

“And… who am I?”

“You are… interesting, scattered, charismatic, sophisticated, and caring…” rattles off Yuuri without even thinking. “But more than that, you are a rare creative channel. Only a few people in this world are able to create the music, the words, or the movements that express what the rest of us feel. But being that kind of channel is a sacrifice, and has made you lonely and alone.” Yuuri seems startled that he shared that out loud.

“… How odd… sometimes I feel quite… naked around you,” muses Victor.

“You are naked around me, we bathe together almost every day,” states Yuuri.

“I meant emotionally naked, not physically.”

“Communal bathing in Japan is supposed to foster both, it's called naked communion, or naked friendship, in Japanese, _hadaka no tsukiai_ ,” explains Yuuri.

“By soaking in the hot springs together, we are becoming… closer,” clarifies Victor.

“Japanese society puts up a lot of invisible walls to ensure a harmonious society, but also to keep everybody in their place. There needs to be a place to remove the walls once in a while.”

“What about sex? Is that also a naked communion?” questions Victor.

Yuuri flushes a bit, uncomfortable.

“… I think that goes beyond friendship. Alcohol is the other way to remove barriers,” answers Yuuri.

“But… doesn't it seem that in Japan, pornography is much more present, in comic books and art, and even traditional art that dates hundreds of years…” continues Victor.

Yuuri looks mortified. “Publicly we are very reserved, I won't say anything about privately…”

“Or about drunkenly…” Victor whispers to himself, remembering the banquet.

 

The next week, Victor pushes Yuuri to remember a previous lover to inspire a music choice, and Yuuri explodes in anger. The memory of his last relationship in Detroit is… painful. And there's this weird chemistry between him and his coach. Yuuri deals with it the way he deals with most problems – he avoids it. Eventually,Victor forces himself into his room, but instead of a lecture, they go to the beach and talk. Besides the awkward part when Victor jokingly offers to be his lover, the moment is a turning point. There is a new level of trust between them, a feeling of friendship. Yuuri is realizing that the living legend is also just... a man.

 

That Friday, both Yuuri's father and his sister Mari becomes sick with influenza. Hiroko is forced to handle the kitchen, the serving and the the rooms all by herself. Yuuri goes to help his mother. He clears out some dishes from the dining hall, and brings them into the kitchen, only to find Victor wearing an apron washing the dishes. Victor smiles and give him a little wave. Yuuri watches Victor's beautiful fingers immersed in soap bubbles, entranced. Hiroko comes in as well, and says to Yuuri in Japanese,

“ _He's a very nice boy that one. I'm glad he came_.”

Startled, Yuuri replies, “ _Yes he is, isn't he?_ ” and feels his cheeks burn. Obviously, his mother knows exactly what's going on, and is encouraging her son. How embarrassing. It was hard to have any secrets at Yutopia. He quickly returns to the dining hall, to finish clearing and cleaning. Afterwards, he is gathering dirty laundry, and stops by Victor's room to pick up his items in need of washing. There is an expensive white shirt on top of the pile, and Yuuri sniffs the collar. Victor should have his own line of perfume. It could be called: _Nikiforov_ , or _Smells like Victory._ Yuuri shakes his head, and whispers to himself,

“I need to get it together, he'll think I'm the worst fan boy.”

 

The next day, Mari is already better, and back to working in the kitchen. She sees Victor doing some dishes, and nods approvingly.

“Thank you for all the help.”

“I'm glad you are feeling better,” responds Victor.

“Vicchan, what you want of my little brother?” Mari gazes at him determinedly.

“I want to help him become a better skater. I'm also hoping he's …interested in me, more personally…”

Mari sighs.” Don't hope much, my little brother likes girls,” she informs him, and picks up a kettle of tea and heads back out to the dining room.

 

With new music in the works, Yuuri requests of his coach to teach him all the quads he knows. Time after time after time, Victor shows him a new jump, and Yuuri copies it. Victor is panting, sweating and exhausted in a way Yuuri's never seen before. Victor is crouched down, resting, and Yuuri reaches over and touches his head. That silvery hair … is soft. Victor wails at possibly thinning scalp, and then collapses on the ice. Worried that he'll get sick from the cold wet ice, Yuuri begs him to get up.

 

A few days later, they prepare for another movie together. Victor has developed a particular way of precisely setting up his three pillows that Yuuri watches, amused.The next one is _An American in Paris_ with Gene Kelly. Victor knows the movie well, he chats while it's playing. After the scene where Gene Kelly sings _I've Got Rhythm_ to a group of kids, Victor recounts stories of his childhood in St. Petersburg.

“My parents knew I was different. I enjoyed playing with dolls, and I loved to cook. They were relieved when I took up figure skating, because at least it was a sport.”

“Did you miss having a normal childhood, with lots of time for playing and for friends ?”

“I was popular, and knew a lot of people, but I didn't have many true friends.” Victor looks over at Yuuri, then seems to make up his mind. “May I tell you a story I've never told anyone?”

Yuuri blinks a few times, then nods his head affirmatively.

“In St. Petersburg, my mother used to take me to the Hermitage Museum. It's huge, partially made up of the old Winter Palace where the Tsar used to live. There is a hall where the floors are made of elaborate wood pieces, and there's a series of domed ceilings. Under each dome is a white marble statue standing on a pedestal, bathing in the light from above. My mother explained that one of them was Terpsichore, the Muse of dance. She said that this Muse would give me a special magic to dance on the ice. My mother walked on, but I stayed and I prayed with all my heart and soul to that statue. I vowed to spread her grace and beauty to the world.”

“How old were you?”

“I was seven. I always enjoyed skating, but after that, spending the time on the ice, moving, flowing and flying became addictive. I ran to the ice every day like a lover to his beloved.”

Yuuri's eyes shine, “I'm glad she blessed you, I love watching you skate. I've spent most of my life chasing you.”

“What happens when you catch me?” Victor asks playfully.

“I don't know. I guess we'll find out at the Grand Prix,” declares Yuuri resolutely.

The musical is almost two hours long, and after spending so much time practicing jumps, Yuuri falls asleep in Victor's bed, exhausted. Victor lets him sleep for a while, then realizes that Yuuri would probably sleep there all night. Victor scoops him up under the knees and under his back, and carries him down the hall to his own bed. Victor tucks him in, and removes his glasses.

“Good night, sweet Yuuri.”

Makkachin jumps onto the bed and curls up next to Yuuri. Victor addresses the dog,

“You've been sleeping with him more and more, haven't you? I'm not sure whether to be pleased, or jealous.”

 

Late one evening, Yuuri notices a new email from Phichit. Attached is a music file. He listens to it, then excitedly barges into Victor's room, steps on Makkachin, and sits on Victor, handing him some earphones. Victor's eyes light up, as he nods approvingly. Yuuri suddenly realizes that he is straddling a near naked Victor in his own bed at night. Disconcerted, he quickly slips away to his own room.

 

Once there, Yuuri makes sure the door is completely shut, or Makkachin will bump it open. He turns off the light, climbs under the covers, and feeling terribly guilty, lets himself imagine touching a naked Victor. Somehow, even in his fantasy, Victor seems a little too unapproachable. He imagines himself skating the _Eros_ routine, feeling powerful and sexy on the ice, and Victor is pulling off his costume, and is laying on the cold, wet ice, but their bodies are so hot, and Victor's mouth is all over him… he starts to moan as he cums, hoping the sound doesn't carry to the room next door.

 

A few nights later, they watch a Soviet Cold War era film with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines called _White Nights_. Yuuri finds himself more interested in watching Baryshnikov dance ballet than Hines dance his tap routines. They talk a bit about Russian history, and then about friendship. 

“I met Christophe when I was in the Junior Championship. He was the cutest little boy. He was a fan at first, but eventually became quite a good competitor. I liked being around him because… he seems so free. He was open about his sexuality, and open about being in an open relationship. He taught me so much about how a person can revel in one's own human incarnation.”

“Is he your closest friend now?”

“Yes, I suppose he is. I talk regularly with the Russian skaters who train at my rink, but I only share my deepest thoughts and feelings with Christophe. He is surprisingly easy to talk to...”

“Phichit is the same way, I can tell him anything.”

“How did you two meet?”

“I was really lucky Phichit came to Detroit to train. We became roommates, and shared a coach. He was the first person I told all my secrets, and he always accepted me the way I am.”

“Is he the only one you tell your secrets?”

“At this point, I suppose you're in second,” murmurs Yuuri, timidly.

Victor smiles, “I'm happy and flattered.”

Yuuri smiles back, then remembers something.

“Baryshnikov was an amazing dancer, but have you seen Sergei Polunin?”

Yuuri searches online for Polunin's performance of _Take Me to Church._ They both watch as the near naked, perfectly sculpted man dances a mix of modern and ballet. Yuuri watches entranced, as he does every time he sees this video. Victor watches Yuuri's face, with a mixture of enjoyment and… hope.

 

At the ice rink, the choreography is starting to take shape for his free skate. The more Yuuri shares about his life, the more Victor seems to know how the movements will flow. Victor asks him about naming the music, and Yuuri simply calls it _Yuri On Ice_. Then Victor asks him about the theme for his free skate. _On my love_ , declares Yuuri, blushing. From working on _Eros_ to  to working on his free skate, his thoughts are shifting from lusting after his coach, to wondering if his feelings go deeper.

 

The following week, Victor dances into the room with an old black and white movie called _Gay Divorcee_ with Fred Astaire. He pulls Yuuri up into dance position, and tangos with him across the bedroom. He then gets his computer and inserts the DVD.

“Divorce in the thirties was like gay marriage today, still considered unacceptable to most people.”

“Have you everwanted to… get married?” questions Yuuri.

“Yuuri, honestly, I've dated a lot of people. I quickly got the reputation as a playboy. However… I was really searching. I believed there was a true love, a soulmate for me. I didn't want to settle for just passion, or companionship. I definitely got carried away sometimes, thinking I had met my true love, and dreaming of marriage shortly after meeting somebody. I've been disillusioned many times.”

“Do you still believe in soulmates?”

“Yes… but I've decided that trying to find your soulmate makes love more difficult, not easier. It's not as if you just match up your marks, and live your life happily. It's more as if, it takes more work, more luck, but it would be worth it in the end,” marvels Victor.

Yuuri grins playfully, “If there's no mark, or tattoo, then how do you know a person is your soulmate?”

Victor grins back. “Maybe the heart lets you know. Or maybe one has to gaze into the other person's eyes. They say it's the window to the soul.”

Yuuri finds himself peering straight into electric blue eyes. He's not sure if he's seen a soul, but the feeling is deep and intense. Yuuri looks away and pets the dog, trying to deal with his odd feelings.

 

After the informal party celebrating his Grand Prix assignments, Yuuri realizes that the next season of figure skating is about to begin. Even assuming he makes it to the Grand Prix final, time with Victor will be short. The thought makes him feel...empty, sad. He is surprised at how quickly Victor feels like an indispensable part of his day-to-day life. It's unusual for Yuuri to feel so comfortable with another human being.

 

About a week later, Victor receives a package in the mail.

“Yuuri! Didn't you say your best friend's name was… Phichit?”

“Yes, why?”

Victor shows him a DVD from a package.

“I just received a movie from him named _Victor/Victoria_.”

Yuuri grabs it, shaking his head, and looks discomfited.

“My friend's referring to a inside joke about college. Forget it, we will watch something else tonight.”

Victor seems surprised by Yuuri's vehemence, but nods agreeably.

 

Instead they watch a production of _La bayadère_ , Yuuri's favorite ballet, full of oriental splendor, that he enjoyed watching many times with Phichit.

“When I was little I wanted to be a ballet dancer, I spent hours at Minako sensei's studio.”

“Why the switch to figure skating?” queries Victor.

“Minako sensei thought I should try it, and… honestly, I had a crush on Yuuko-chan, the older girl who skated there. She was my only friend for many years. I often got bullied at school, and one time a whole pack of kids surrounded me, and grabbed my hair. They taunted me for a while, and eventually let me go. But after that I started to have anxiety attacks. Mari _-nee-san_ became my protector. She acted tough in front of everyone, and got into a fight once with someone who picked on me. I've felt alone most of my life, even around other people.” Yuuri brings his knees into his chest, and hugs them. Then he continues,

“Usually on campus I was invisible. Girls only noticed me when I skated. This one girl was very cute, she told me how much she adored my grace and beauty on the ice. We dated. I was very attached to her… We were out one night and some guys started to say lewd things and question my manhood. I froze up, she pulled me away. Then back at her dorm room, I had a panic attack. She was… unsupportive. She thought I needed to be tougher. I eventually called Phichit for help.”

Makkachin seems to sense his distress, and comes over and licks his face. Yuuri hugs the dog, and continues to watch the dance production. The ballet lasts more than two hours. Yuuri, exhausted from training and sharing his feelings, again falls asleep in Victor's bed. Victor once more picks up Yuuri, and carries him down the hall to his own bed. Victor tucks him in, then removes Yuuri's glasses, and gazes at his face. He whispers,

“I've been waiting a long time for my prince, I hope you are him...” and kisses his forehead.

 

Trying to lighten the mood the next evening, Victor shows up with the dance comedy called _Strictly_ _Ballroom_. They are watching the final scene, a fiery dance where the heroine is wearing a red flamenco dress, and the hero is wearing black pants and a gold matador jacket. Yuuri's eyes are sparkling, and he flings his arms out,

“It just makes me want to dance!” Victor reaches his arm out, pulls Yuuri up, and twirls him into a dance position. They waltz around the bedroom, giggling. Victor spins him around, then dips him, their lips so close they can feel each other breathe. Yuuri's eye grow big, and Victor reluctanctantly pulls him back up.

“Victor, honestly, I've never thought about…men. I've only dated women,” blurts out Yuuri.

Victor's face first registers surprise, then hurt, and finally looks resigned.

“Of course. I'm sorry I had the wrong impression.” He gets up and leaves his room.

 


	2. Chapter 2

For three days, Yuuri watches Victor become professional and detached. The sparkle, the flirting, have disappeared. They train together during the day, but afterwards Victor disappears in his room with the shoji screen closed. It makes Yuuri's heart ache. Several times he tries to say something...only he's not sure what to say.

 

Yuuri retreats to his bedroom, and calls his best friend again.

“Phichit, how did you know… that you liked guys,” questions Yuuri, tentatively.

“Oh my, I just love everything about men. I like the way they look, they talk, I'm not sure why…” Phichit looks away dreamily. “Right now, you don't need to worry about whether you find _all men_ attractive, just one Russian dreamboat.”

“He is very good-looking, on the first day, I saw him completely naked,” whispers Yuuri.

“I thought you said you take communal baths with him almost every day…” puzzles Phichit.

“Yes but, I usually don't wear my glasses, so everything is blurry and steamy.”

“Oh! So on the first day you _were_ wearing your glasses…” exclaims Phichit.

“Victor is basically a perfect specimen. He has beautiful skin, amazing muscles, naturally blonde…”

“Have you been fantasizing about him?”

“…”

“You have been!” says Phichit gleefully.

“I'm a bit worried about the mechanics. Doesn't sex hurt with a guy?” asks Yuuri.

“Don't worry about that right now. I'll give you more details later. Just remember, if you desire someone, you'll naturally want to ...do stuff,” instructs Phichit.

Yuuri chews on a fingernail. Phichit continues,

“Just imagine that he's just an ordinary guy that you've met. He's not famous, he's not a figure skater, and imagine if _that person_ is somebody you might want to be romantically involved with…”

 

After dinner, Yuuri offers to watch another movie. Victor simply shakes his head, and heads to his room. Yuuri scrambles after him,

“No!” Yuuri grabs his arm. “No please…”

Victor looks torn, and wants to leave, but stops himself.

“Please listen, a few days ago I said I was not interested in men, you did not let me finish,” pleads Yuuri.

“I'm not sure I understand,” states Victor, a bit coldly.

“I know it's not fair... but when you touch me, I get scrambled, not turned off or and I'm wondering if...would you maybe…”

Victor slowly comprehends what Yuuri is babbling about, and reaches out,

“How does it feel… when I hold your hand?”

Yuuri looks down at his hand, and swallows nervously. “Sweet.”

Victor walks forward till they're almost touching.

“How does it feel… when I hold you close?”

Yuuri takes in a deep breath, and says tremulously, “Safe and warm.”

“And how about…” Victor brushes his lips against his so lightly, it's like the brush of a feather. Yuuri feels a rush of desire as he gazes at intense blue eyes. He murmurs,“Tingly and magical.”

Victor stands there for what seems an eternity, and finally manages,

“I see.… I see.” He gives Yuuri's hand a quick kiss, then he grabs the dog's leash, and goes out to clear his mind.

 

Once on the beach,Victor takes Makkachin off leash, and calls Christophe.

“Chris, I think I've made a mistake with Yuuri,” confides Victor.

“Yes, you told me he's not interested in you romantically.”

“No, I think he might be interested in me, I just think he's never been with a man before.”

“Sexy pole dancer is completely inexperienced?!” responds Christophe, surprised.

“I had completely backed off. But I want to show him I'm interested...” says Victor, tapping his lips.

“In other words, you can't keep your hands off him…” purrs Christophe.

“We've been talking, skating, soaking naked in a hot spring… he's kind, sweet, a bit shy, but full of charisma and passion underneath… I'm falling for him,” Victor explains, preoccupied.

Christophe chuckles. “Continue to go slow then, wait for him to make a move. And Victor?”

“Yes?” Victor says, distracted.

“Tell him your secrets. _Au revoir_ , my dear friend!”

Victor stares at his phone, pensively.

 

The following week, Yuuri wonders what body part will be under assault next. Victor offers to show him another movie.Yuuri is surprised to see Phichit's favorite movie, _The King and the Skater_. They are lounging on Victor's bed, watching the glittery production on Victor's portable computer, when Victor offers to massage his shoulders. Victor sits behind Yuuri, and slowly kneads his trapezius and deltoids. Surprisingly, Yuuri relaxes into it, not feeling overwhelmed by the contact as he usually does. Maybe shoulders aren't one of his erogenous zones.

“Yuuri, you've been so brave, and shared very private and vulnerable stories about yourself. However, I have been avoiding mine,” confesses Victor.

“Why? Am I …difficult to talk to?” asks Yuuri, turning his head to look behind him.

“Quite the contrary. I've told you things I haven't even told Christophe. But I've worked so hard to maintain an image of myself, a public persona, I've lost track of who I am.”

Yuuri reaches his hands backward, covering Victor's hands on his shoulders.

“You are still Victor. I can see that.”

Victor squeezes his hands back in return, and continues to rub Yuuri's shoulders.

“When I was 16, my father caught me with another boy, and threw me out of the house. My mother… let it happen. Yaakov took me in. Eventually, I cut my hair to symbolically cut my ties with my family. I had a wonderfully warm and happy childhood, it was a shock to lose all that. I threw all my energy into skating.”

“Have you talked to them since?”

“I call my mother a few times a year, that's all.”

They continue to watch the movie, both of them becoming more attentive as large-scale ice skating performance comes on screen.

“Do you ever fantasize about the ice?” Victor murmurs, into Yuuri's left ear.

“I've dreamt about skating against you, and wowing you with my skating,” Yuuri admits, feeling his body getting warm from having the other man in such close proximity.

“So you win gold and I win the silver medal,” clarifies Victor.

“No. In my dream, we get exactly the same score. And then we're standing together on the podium with our gold medals, and you're… smiling at me,” confidesYuuri hesitantly.

“Only… smiling?” Victor's hands stop, and he is staring intently at his face.

“Of course. I am Japanese, and we are very reserved in public,” Yuuri declares with a pink blush.

“Well, I have a fantasy that my lover will skate for me… _completely naked_.” Victor whispers into his ear. “I guess I really _love_ …ice-skating.”

Yuuri can feel his body combust. Oh good heavens. By the end of the week, Yuuri is not thinking about hands or lips, he keeps hearing Victor's voice purring in his ear. Maybe he should give up and just skate _Eros_ naked and see what happens.

 

Yuuri video chats with Phichit, sitting on his bed.

“Phichit, I need your advice again,” acknowledges Yuuri tentatively.

“Oooh – I love giving advice… especially about your love life,” Phichit says cheerfully.

“It's just that Victor is very… handsy? And I feel like I just want to… kiss him, but I can't, I mean I shouldn't, and that would be a mistake right, I don't want to lose him as my coach…” babbles Yuuri.

“Yuuri, I should tell you: _Victor …is_ … _gay_ ,” utters Phichit dramatically.

“Well, yes, he sort of …told me that,” admits Yuuri.

“I've talked to Victor's friend Christophe Giacometti, and I confirmed it with him.”

“But that doesn't mean he's interested in me…” Yuuri buries his face in his arms.

“Yuuri in case you missed it, I just face palmed myself again!” grumbles Phichit. “He just dropped his career to coach you. He is _so_ flirting with you.”

“……” Yuuri is completely unable to talk, still hiding his face.

“Well, anyway,” chirps Phichit, “it was fun flirting with Chris, I mean on the gay scale, he must be tops!”

“Christophe… gay?” stutters Yuuri surprised, finally looking up.

“ _Not another gay figure skater!!_ ” shrieks Phichit, pretending to be shocked. “You do know there are gay men who are ballet dancers, policemen, firemen, dry cleaners,…”

“Dry cleaners?”

“Well, I am hoping my dry cleaner is gay,” quips Phichit.

Yuuri smiles, and lies down on his bed, still keeping himself on camera.

“Phichit …am I gay now?”

“Maybe. Or bisexual, pansexual, or victorsexual... you would want him even if he became a woman, you've got it _so bad,_ ” muses Phichit.

Yuuri suddenly imagines Victor in women's lingerie, …wow! But what color, black or red…

“You need to be alone if you imagine stuff like that,” smirks Phichit.

Yuuri turns red, but still manages to ask, “What do I do now?”

Phichit replies,“Tell him: I like you. Then kiss him. _Don't overthink it_.”

 

Yuuri completely overthinks it. First, he thinks about locations. Definitely not in the hot spring, no one should confess naked. Definitely not at the ice rink, that's their professional space. Yutopia is crawling with family, so that's not good. In fact, the whole town of Hasetsu knows him too well, and therefore out of the question. Which leaves him with – the beach.

Then he worries about his clothes, whether to bring food, whether or not to bring the dog, and finally, whether he should declare his feelings in English. Should he say it in Russian? He could learn that. He could say it in Japanese, but is not sure how good Victor's Japanese language skills are... His heart starts to pound, and his bedroom feels like it's getting smaller. Yuuri grabs his phone, and runs to the beach. He finds a large rock, and curls up next to it, in a ball, shaking.

 

His hands trembling, he dials Phichit.

“Hello loverboy!” beams Phichit. But his face quickly changes. “Yuuri? What's wrong?”

“… trying… can't… panic attack,” Yuuri manages to blurt out.

“Okay. You will be all right. Did you tell Victor how you felt?” asks Phichit, in a reassuring tone.

“No.…”

“Okay. Now tell me where you are,” Phichit demands.

“Rock.… sitting… beach.”

“Yuuri, stay there. I'm going to make another call, call me again if you need me.” Phichit hangs up.

Yuuri sobs for a while, then quiets down. He stares out towards the waves, not really seeing them and soon it's getting dark. He sees a tall figure with silver hair walking towards him on the beach.

“Yuuri? It's Victor. Is it okay if I sit next to you?” Yuuri nods, and Victor sits down.

“Do you want to talk?” Victor asks quietly.

“Right now, everything I say will be …depressing. I hate always messing up,” mumbles Yuuri.

“Tell me, is any of this _my_ fault?” Victor inquires, tilting his head.

“Not exactly… but sort of. You keep giving me hope… making me feel you _like me_.”

Victor turns Yuuri's face towards him, and insists,“I do like you. I've been showing you every day. I'm just not sure… _if you like me._ ”

Yuuri stares at him in disbelief, his mouth open.

Finally his feelings just pour out, “I can't believe that! I mean…I've idolized you so long, and then you show up, and you're real, and you're a guy, and there's this thing between us, and I'm going to disappoint you…”

Victor interrupts him with a finger on Yuuri's lips.

“Yuuri, show me you like me.”

Yuuri is confused. What does Victor want? He closes his eyes, and opens them again. Victor is looking at him, patiently, waiting. Of course. Victor wants what he wants.

_Touch me. Be with me. Talk to me._

Yuuri reaches over and caresses Victor's cheek.

“Next week, I'm seducing you,” Yuuri declares.

And he hugs him, resting his head on his shoulders.

 

That night Yuuri passes out in his own bed early, exhausted from the anxiety attack. The next morning he wakes up at dawn, long before Victor, and warms up quietly at the Ice Castle. Victor shows up with a cup of tea, and they start running through the routines.Victor is unusually subdued, and seems to be waiting for Yuuri to say something, or do something. Finally Yuuri takes a break, sweating and panting from the exertion of the jumps. Victor hands him a water bottle.

“So… will you do it today?” Victor asks, trying to look nonchalant.

Yuuri watches him calmly, and gulps down some water.

“Oh, do you want me to do it now?” queries Yuuri, like they're talking about the weather.

“Oh!…” Victor looks surprised. “Yes now. Please.”

Yuuri skates over, leans in and murmurs in his Victor's right ear,

“ _Tonight I'm going to kiss you for hours, and run my hands all over your naked body, until you beg me to suck you off._ ”

Victor stands there, stunned.

Yuuri takes another sip of water, puts his hands on his hip.

“Would you like me to repeat the _Ero_ s routine again?”

 

The rest of the training day seems to drag on forever. Victor keeps looking at his watch, and the only way Yuuri can focus on his skating is by avoiding eye contact. The air around them feels electric, and Yuuri can f _eel_ where Victor stands, even without looking, as if his skin has its own long-range detectors. The moment the second hand shows that it is 5 p.m., Victor skates from behind, picks Yuuri up, deposits him off the ice, and pleads, “Get changed quickly.”

 

Out in front of the Ice Castle, Victor stares at his bicycle, and then at Yuuri's running shoes. Victor takes hold of the handlebars, throws his leg over the seat, and calls “Get on!” grinning.

As they bike down the street, Yuuri keeps his head down, hoping to hide his red face from passerbys. He is sitting on the handlebars facing Victor, arms straight with his hands on his coach's shoulders, his legs dangling down. The whole position is mortifying, and Yuuri hopes that no one snaps a portrait that Phichit could repost…

 

Back at the hot springs, Victor and Yuuri shower quickly, then both shovel down their dinner. Mari looks at them puzzled, but then shrugs it away. Finally, they sprint to Victor's room. Victor opens his door, and stands in front of his bed, waiting. Yuuri pauses in the hallway, then launches forward, hitting Victor with a hug, which propels them both backwards onto the bed. Yuuri then presses his lips onto Victor's tentatively. Victor laughs.

“I love the way you surprise me, _Shastye_. _”_

Yuuri smiles back, glowing.

“Slow down, let me taste you properly,” whispers Victor, leaving light kisses on his upper lip, then running his tongue gently between, til Yuuri feels faint. A slight tingle of peppermint makes him realize they have been sharing the lip balm, and indirectly kissing for weeks.

Yuuri takes his turn to explore Victor's lips, and his tongue, and the sides of his face. He is so happy, his body is humming with delight. Every time he looks into Victor's eyes, he sees so much affection and delight, that he starts to feel drunk.

“I've never felt this way before,” admits Yuuri.

“How do you feel?”

“Like I'm drunk on champagne, and there are fireworks, but at the same time I want to curl up in your arms because it feels like home…”

“I love you too.”

Yuuri tilts his head, processing that word. Love.

“Is that what's going on?”

Victor looks hesitantly at Yuuri, then seems to make up his mind.

“There was this moment, when we first danced, when I felt I had known you for 20 years, as if we were an old married couple. I thought it was a flight of fancy. But this feeling keeps reoccurring. The more time I spend with you, it doesn't feel like I'm falling in love. It feels like I've always loved you, and I am simply… remembering our love.”

“Victor, you're crazy.” Yuuri looks at him sternly. “For me it feels like… 30 years.”

Victor responds with a half smile, “You're only 23.”

“I must've loved you in a previous life then.”

“Possibly, but I would appreciate if you would just love me right now…”

 

Yuuri kisses Victor until his lips start to feel numb. He especially likes the nuzzle the side of the neck which smells the most of Victor's cologne. Feeling curious about the rest of Victor's body, his hands start wandering around Victor's chest. Eventually, he looks down at Victor's pants, hesitates, then bites his lips. He reaches his hand forward –

Victor interrupts, and says gently, “Yuuri, mmm, I need to go slow. Only kissing tonight.”

Yuuri looks at him puzzled. Eventually, he realizes Victor wants to take it slow _for him_.

“How about kissing and some touching?” negotiates Yuuri with a coy smile.

Victor rolls Yuuri over to his right, and looks pensive.

“Let's stay above the waist, otherwise I might… lose control,” confesses Victor.

Yuuri continues to kiss hungrily, and finally tries to use a little tongue. Victor groans.

“Oh… feels good, I've been needing this for months…”

“A few months? I've been needing this for _years_ ,” moans Yuuri. “I win.”

Victor giggles. “Yes, you win,” murmurs, then drops a line of kisses down his throat.

“And Yuuri, feel free to tell me more, what you'd like to do to me…”

As the night progresses, with darkness, fatigue and blissful with the situation, Yuuri loses his inhibitions, and describes in agonizing detail what he wants to do with Victor.

“Yuuri. Yuuri? Are you asleep?” Yuuri is curled up in Victor's arms, and Victor wonders if he should carry him back to his bed.

“No carry, please let me stay here.”

“Very well.” Victor caresses Yuuri's ear. “Were you awake when I would carry you back?”

“No. And I'm not your prince.”

 

Victor is woken up the next morning by Makkachin, and reluctantly separates himself from Yuuri, and takes the dog for an early walk. He calls Christophe.

“It's midnight, and I was sleeping,” says a gravelly voiced Christophe.

“Chris, I left my career, my home, everything I needed to come coach someone I barely knew…” Victor's voice is shaking with emotion.

“I know, _mon cher_ , this is definitely been your most outlandish adventure. However it's not too late, you can go back to St. Petersburg, and return to competition…” reassures Christophe.

“No, you don't understand. I leapt into the void on the flimsiest of… inner feelings, and it worked! He loves me. HE LOVES ME!!” Victor cries incredulously.

“So what's the problem?”

“No problem, I'm just so euphoric I had to tell someone!”

Christophe laughs, “Good night, Victor,” and hangs up.

Victor stares down at his phone, and whispers, “I think he's my soulmate, Christophe.”

 

Yuuri wakes up alone and disoriented in Victor's bed. Thinking he's late, he quickly runs to his room gets changed into his exercise gear. Once at the Ice Castle, he realizes he's early, and that Victor probably took the dog out. He skates some figure eights, paying attention to whether he's on the inner or outer part of his blades. This type of simple training has a soothing effect on him. He soon hears Victor arrive, but is unsure how to greet him in this public space. He looks up, and sees Victor elegantly leaning on the boards, smiling at him. His chest tightens, and he feels butterflies in his abdomen. He skates over, not sure what to do. Victor gives his hand a quick squeeze, then announces,

“Show me the step sequence for the free program please.” Yuuri nods, then awkwardly squeezes his hand back, then turns all his attention to the choreography.

 

After a few weeks of making out while keeping their clothes, Yuuri is feeling more and more frustrated. However, Victor is unwilling to go any further. On the ice, the _Eros_ routine becomes a torture. There's an unspoken rule of no kissing in public, but Yuuri is unable to think of nothing else as he constantly imitates a passionate seductress. That night, Yuuri tries to remove Victor's shirt, Victor shakes his head, and pulls it back down.

“Why are you stopping me?”

“You've never been …with a man, and…” says Victor worried. Yuuri gazes at him for a while.

“You think if we go all the way, I'll realize… I'm straight,” realizes Yuuri, finally grasping the problem.

“At night, when we're together I can feel your… reluctance.”

“Honestly, I'm not sure what to …label myself, but I am very certain of being attracted to you. I'm just not sure if… I'm the _uke_... the woman?” questions Yuuri hesitantly, tilting his head.

“Oh.” Victor ponders that. “It's like a dance, one person leads, the other person follows, but we decide which role we want to play, and whether we want to switch roles. I like to do both.”

Yuuri seems to accept that description. Victor offers,

“Please wait till Saturday. That way we can …sleep in all day Sunday.”

 

Saturday morning, Victor walks in to the kitchen, and sees Yuuri and Mari appearing to have a disagreement. Victor understands the last bit of Japanese,

“ _Sumimasen, Nee-san, I hate to disappoint the family, but… I like him._ ”

Mari ruffles his hair, “ _Take care of yourself._ ” She gathers some trays of food, and leaves the kitchen.

Victor watches as Yuuri gathers their breakfast, and prepares some green tea.

“Am I a disappointment to your family?” questions Victor, holding his forehead.

Yuuri thinks about the question, then admits,

“I am the only boy in the family. It was up to me to continue the family line. But I'm not sure I would have found a girl to marry, let alone have any children.” Yuuri grabs a tray with the breakfast, and heads back out to the dining room.

 

Saturday evening, Yuuri opens the shoji screen to find the room transformed. There are a few candles flickering in the corner, the bedsheets have been replaced with shimmering pink satin, and red rose petals have been scattered around the room. There's a beautiful little tray with chocolates and… rice balls in plastic wrap, which makes Yuuri giggle. The lamp has been covered with pink cloth with sequins, giving the whole room a rosy glow. Yuuri walks over to the side table and picks up various little bottles to read their labels. Two kinds of fancy massage oil, several types of lube, and some condoms in fancy little foils. Victor is standing nearby, wearing only a yukata, and hands him a matching cotton robe, motioning for him to get changed. Yuuri takes the robe, and walks down the hall to his room to remove his clothes. He returns to Victor'sroom, and sees Victor rearranging the little bottles.

“Victor, lie down, do you prefer… “ squinting, because he left his glasses in his own room, “lavender, or sandalwood?” questions Yuuri.

Victor surprised, protests, “I had planned to massage you…”

“You will. You're going first,” announces Yuuri, with a stubborn look to his face. Victor shrugs, removes his yukata, and lies down on his stomach.

“You decide how I should smell,” Victor requests, closing his eyes. Yuuri picks up the sandalwood oil, for some on his palms, and starts kneading the neck and shoulders. He works his way down the arms, then down the back. Victor makes occasional appreciative moans. As Yuuri starts massaging the gluteus, the moans become more frequent.Yuuri continues down the legs, and spend some extra time on the feet, toughened and calloused from years of skating. Yuuri returns to the buttocks, and gently running his fingers along the top,

“Victor… can I… would you…” struggles Yuuri, trying to find the words.

“You'd like to take the lead?” clarifies Victor. Yuuri nods. Victor takes some lube, and proceeds to scissor himself. Yuuri watches, somewhat detached. “Shall I stay on my stomach?” Yuuri nods again. Yuuri slowly pushes in, mesmerized by the gleaming white muscles. He slowly starts to thrust,

“Yuuri, yes, oh, yes, Yuuri,” moans Victor. Yuuri tries varying his thrusts, and quickly discovers one which drives Victor beyond words and into senseless groans. Finally, Yuuri can contain himself no longer, he grabs the ass, pushes in deeper, and feels the pulsing and pleasure of his orgasm. He withdraws, cleans off the condom, and lies down next to Victor.

“Maybe enough for tonight, switching might be… a lot more intense,” recommends Victor.

“I felt kind of …distant, like I was watching from afar,” describes Yuuri.

“It takes practice to connect the emotions with the actions, and the pleasure.”

They cuddle for a while, the feeling of muscled torso is somewhat familiar, while the feeling of penis and testicles rubbing against his own feels strange and different. Even so, Yuuri feels calm and comfortable, and even dozes off for a little bit.

“My turn to massage you.” Victor chooses the same massage oil, and starts with the feet. Unlike Yuuri, he chatters and comments while he rubs and kneads.

“I like your toes… I should give you a pedicure,… and a manicure… such gorgeous legs… And your ass… I have fantasies about you wearing those ballet tights… and nothing else… and your back …a skating outfit with a deep V in the back would be so sexy…” Victor has Yuuri turn over. He rubs the torso, then he takes the cock, and with a practiced hand skillfully rubs and caresses it. Seeing his partner so relaxed and comfortable, he decides to reach for the lube. He massages the anal opening for such a long time, Yuuri forgets the point of it. How odd to be sharing… one's body. He feels a slight intrusion, and then an odd pleasurable itch. A long time passes, as Victor slowly adds more fingers. Finally, he hears the tearing of the foil, and a slightly larger pressure. Yuuri opens his eyes as he feels the deep warm pressure go deeper, stretching him inside.

“You are in me,” says Yuuri, disbelievingly.

“I love you. And I love being inside you,” replies Victor, as he kisses his lips.Victor moves, while whispering endearments, and lightly kissing his face. Yuuri wraps his legs around his back, completely transported. Something in Yuuri seems to break. Tears well up,

“I've been so lonely, I thought I would always be alone, I'm yours, I'm all yours, I love you so much, please love me,…” he sobs.

“ _Dalgazhdannaya_ , _krasavitsa_ , I'm here, I found you, I will always find you,” promises Victor.

 

Yuuri wakes up, groggy and disoriented by the pink sheets and the lack of clothes, he almost never sleeps naked. He feels a slight soreness in his… and bolts upright, suddenly remembering the night before. The shoji screen opens, and Victor enters wearing his yukata, carrying a tray of food.

“ _Ohayoo_! Good morning! Sorry for not being the attentive lover this morning, but inspiration struck,” and puts down the tray. Victor take Yuuri's right hand, opens the palm, kisses the center, then puts Yuuri's glasses there. Yuuri puts on his glasses, and sits stupefied at what seemed so normal last night. He is feeling very… _naked_. He sees his cotton robe, and stares at it, not wanting to leave the security of the sheet. Victor walks over, hands him the yukata, turns around and fusses with the tray of food. Embarrassed at being embarrassed, Yuuri quickly slips it on, then sits back down gingerly.

“A traditional Japanese breakfast: bowl of white rice, grilled fish, sweet egg omelet, and pickled vegetables,” announces Victor.

Yuuri picks up the chopsticks,

“ _Itadakimasu_ ,” and eats quickly, suddenly ravenous. Victor settles on the bed beside him, and lays out four sheets of paper, each with a different outfit drawn on it. Victor points to a black number with a large cut out in the back,

“How about this gorgeous outfit for your free skate?” proposes Victor eagerly.

“It seems a little …exposed,” Yuuri points to a drawing with an evening jacket, “how about this purple one?”

Victor tilts his head uncertainly, and lightly caresses Yuuri's dark hair.

“The fabric would be in between indigo and midnight blue. The insert accentuates the waist, and it would need some embroidery or sequined embellishments,” muses Victor.

Yuuri nods in agreement, still chewing.

“I could wear a white shirt underneath, maybe with some frills…” suggests Yuuri.

Victor looks horrified. “No, no, something elegant, and alluring, perhaps a V-neck shirt that echoes the V of the coat, and shows some of your chest,” Victor draws a V on the drawing. “I will take very precise measurements, and send them to Margosha.”

“Who is that?”

“She is my costume maker. She raised 6 kids, has 8 grandkids, she can cook or sew anything. You'll see, you won't even need a fitting! Though it's a pity we can't visit her in St. Petersburg, she makes delicious pies.”

Yuuri pushes back his glasses worriedly, wondering how many years he'll be in debt paying for his final year of competition.

 

Yuuri finishes his breakfast, and places the tray on the floor. Victor is happily doodling different designs on the purple coat. Yuuri decides to change the mood, and takes his finger and draws a zigzag on Victor's back. “How about a sequined lightning bolt? It could represent your striking arrival in my life…” murmurs Yuuri.

Victor drops his coloring pencil, turns toward him, and strokes his cheek,

“Are you all right? A lot happened very quickly, I certainly wouldn't begrudge you…” articulates Victor.

Yuuri interrupts, “I'm good.”

Victor smiles, and edges very close without touching.

“Yuuri, in that case, you should know I'm a perfectionist. I'm not satisfied with you feeling _good._ I want you to feel … _amazing_ ,” and kisses him softly, til Yuuri melts into his arms.

 

It's another partially cloudy day on the beach. The beach is bigger and the waves smaller due to low tide. Victor and Yuuri are walking along the shore, bumping into each other, and smiling. Makkachin is chasing some seagulls that have dared to land near the dog.

“Yuuri, this beach now feels more precious and wonderful than anywhere in the world.”

Yuuri simply smiles back affectionately, engulfed in happiness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> This is the first time I've ever written anything but a term paper, so please be kind in your comments, writers also have hearts of glass. Also, I am unfortunately forced by poor health to use voice recognition software in order to type, so please let me know if I have missed a weird transcription error.  
> Merci, thank you, spasibo, doomo arigatoo gozaimashita!
> 
>  
> 
> Filmography  
> Carmen (1983) directed by Carlos Saura  
> An American in Paris (1951) directed by Vicente Minelli  
> Shall We Dance? (1996) directed by Masayuki Suo  
> White Nights (1985) directed by Taylor Hackford  
> Sergei Polunin (2015) "Take me to Church" by Hozier Directed by David LaChapelle  
> Gay Divorcee (1934) directed by Mark Sandrich  
> La bayadère (1992) Opéra de Paris, ballet revival by Rudolf Nureyev  
> Strictly Ballroom (1992) directed by Baz Luhrmann  
> Victor/Victoria (1982) directed by Blake Edwards

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've ever written anything but a term paper, so please be kind in your comments, writers also have hearts of glass. Also, I am unfortunately forced by poor health to use voice recognition software in order to type, so please let me know if I have missed a weird transcription error.   
> Merci, thank you, spasibo, doomo arigatoo gozaimashita!
> 
> Filmography  
> Carmen (1983) directed by Carlos Saura  
> An American in Paris (1951) directed by Vicente Minelli  
> Shall We Dance? (1996) directed by Masayuki Suo  
> White Nights (1985) directed by Taylor Hackford   
> Sergei Polunin (2015) "Take me to Church" by Hozier Directed by David LaChapelle (Super sexy!)  
> Gay Divorcee (1934) directed by Mark Sandrich  
> La bayadère (1992) Opéra de Paris, ballet revival by Rudolf Nureyev  
> Strictly Ballroom (1992) directed by Baz Luhrmann  
> Victor/Victoria (1982) directed by Blake Edwards
> 
> Thank you for reading! As of 06/06/2017, I updated the ending to be a little less abrupt, so thank you for that constructive criticism.
> 
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Ace of Japan  
> –a short story of Yuuri and Victor  
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Russian Fairy  
> –Yuri's journey to love  
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Thailand's Future  
> –Phichit's journey to love  
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Living Legend br />  
> –Victor's journey to true love  
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater: Sex on Ice  
> – Christophe adapts to life with Phichit  
> Not Another Gay Figure Skater:Hero of Kazakhstan (in progress)< br />  
> – Otabek and Yuri develop their relationship, epilogue


End file.
